Box-lid holder and price-marker.



G. S APP LAS. QX; U1?. hQ-Ul-B: AN@ BRICE MA R K E R. muc/111.1111 11.1.1111 Q-cr. I8. 1915.

1,1 98,511 Pamendsept. 19,1916.

/If/orney CLARENCE S. APPLAS, OF MOLINE, ILLINOIS.

BOX-LID HOLDER AND PRICE-MARKER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 19, 1916.

Application led October 18, 1915. Serial No; 56,549.

T 0 all whom t may concern:

Be' it known that I, CLARENCE S. APPLAs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Moline, in the county of Rock Island and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Box-Lid Holder and Price-Marker, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relatesto box lid holders and price markers.

The object is to provide a I'combination device for holding the lidsv of boxes, especially cigar boxes, in open position, at any desired angle to expose the goods contained therein, and, at the same time, to expose to view the price of said goods.

Another object is to` provide a device of this character, which, upon being properly applied to the lid of the box, will render it possible to lift or handle the said box by grasping the lid thereof.

The present invention is designed as an improvement on the structure shown and described in my pending application for patent, Serial Number 36,849, filed June 28, 1915, the improvement relating to means for swiveling the pronged clamping members which secure the device to the box.

A full andv complete understanding of the invention may be obtained from a careful consideration of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of this speciiication; it being understood that while the drawing shows a practical form of the invention, the latter is not confined to strict conformity therewith, but may be changed or modified, as long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention, as specifically pointed out in the claims hereto appended. p

Iny the drawing, in which like reference characters designate like parts in each of the several figures: Figure l is a side elevation of a portion of a cigar box, having the improved device applied thereto, to support the lid in elevated position. Fig. 2 is a front view thereof partly broken away to more clearly show the means for clamping the device to the box. Fig. 3l is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the clamping members looking in the opposite direction to that of Fig. l. Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate, in perspective, the members of the clamping means in separated position. Fig. 7 is a face view of the disk having the price marks printed thereon. Fig. 8 is a face view of the plate to which the disk is pivoted.

In the drawings, there is shown, a portionv of the end wall of an ordinary cigar box l, having the usual lid 2, applied thereto in the ordinary manner. Adapted to extend from the upper edge of the end wall of the box, at a point approximately half way of its length to a corresponding point of the side edge of the lid 2, is a brace rod 3, consisting of stout wire, and having near' its lower terminal, a bearing eye 4', which is formed by coiling the wire several timesto form a passage way therethrough, arranged slightly to one side thereof, as viewed in Fig. 3; The terminal of the wire is extended laterally at substantially right angles to the bearing eye i to form an arm 5, whichy is returned at its free end, and whichhas its extremity clipped ofi' at an angle thereto to provide a returned prong 6 on the arm 5. A clamping lever 7 composed also of stout wire is adapted to coact with the lower end ofthe brace rod 3, and has a bearing portion 8 provided near its lower extremity, which, when applied to the member 3, passes th-rough the eye t and is free to rotate therein. That terminal of the clamping member 7 extending beyond the bearing portion 8 is likewise provided with a laterally extending arm 9 returned at its free end and having its extremity clipped off at an angle to form a returned prong 10 on the arm 9 These arms 5 and 9 are bent to dispose their respective prongs 6 and 10 in substantially the same transverse plane to grip the opposite sides of the end wall of the box and secure the lower end of the lid holder thereto.

The clamping member 7 on the side of the bearing portion 8 opposite to the terminal bend 9, is bent at an obtuse angle thereto, and is provided at a point intermediate the remainder thereof with another bend 11 substantially at right angles thereto. The terminal of the portion beyond the bend 11 is bent substantially at a right angle to provide a terminal hook 12, which is adapted, when the device is rigidly secured to the box l, to be sprung under the brace rod 3, to hold the two members in coacting relation.

The axis of the bearing eye 4 is arranged at an acute angle to the mainl portion of the brace rod' 3, as viewed in Fig. l, and

therefore is permitted to rest upon the top edge of the end wall of the box l, while the said brace rod 3 inclines upwardly and rearwardly at an angle to a point substantially mid-way of the lid 2 and in a line with the end edge thereof.

As in the structure illustrated in the aforesaid pending application, the upper portion of the brace rod 3 is provided at an intermediate point with an eye 13, the wire composing the brace rod being extended a short distance and at a slight angle thereto and terminating in an inwardly bent portion 14 adapted to extend longitudinally of the lid 2 a slight distance and is there provided with an inturned prong 15.

A plate 16 having an outstanding ear 17 is carried by the brace rod 3, and is adapted to be supported in right angle relation thereto by a suitable rivet 18, which is passed through the eye 13 and the ear 17, the latter being appropriately apertured for the reception of said rivet 18. The plate 16 has an arcuate cut out portion 19 for a purpose to be described. Centrally of the plate 16, there is provided a pivot post 20, upon which is mounted, for rotation, a disk 21, which may be formed of stout card board provided with a reinforcing annular metallic bead 22, and has upon its face a number of prices imprinted thereon. The disk 21 is of slightly greater diameter than the plate 16, and is adapted, upon rotation of the same, to expose the various price marks in the cut out portion 19 of the said plate.

The extending ear 17 is bent in a backward direction a slight distance so that the plate 16 and disk 21 may rest iat upon the exposed inner face of the box lid 2, and permit that portion of the brace rod 3 beyond the eye 13 and at the upper end thereof, to reach to the back or outer face of the lid 2 and act as a spring clamp to impinge the prong 15 in the outer face of the lid 2.

Vith the exception of that portion of the device consisting of the means for clamping the same to the body of the box l, the device is substantially identical with the structure shown in the aforesaid pending application, and no claim is made thereto.

By the method of swiveling the clamping member 7 to the lower end of the brace rod 3, a cheap, durable, and rigid means therefor is provided. It will be seen that upon the release of the clamping member 7 by springing the hook 12 out of engagement with the rod 3, the prongs 6 and 10 may be freed from engagement with the end wall of the box 1, by a simple rotation of the clamping lever, and a new, position assumed along the top edge of the box 1 to cause the lid to assume a more or less inclined position. In addition to this, the engagement of the device both with the box 1 and the lid 2 is of such a firm nature as to permit of freely handling the box and its contents by simply grasping the lid thereof.

l/Vhat is claimed is:

1. A box lid holder comprising a brace rod, means carried by the upper end of the rod for engaging the box lid, a bearing formed on the rod at its lower end, and a terminal arm extending laterally from the rod and having a returned portion providing a prong, a clamping lever mounted for rotation in the bearing and having an arm extending laterally therefrom and in an opposite direction from said first arm, and having a returned portion providingl a prong arranged opposite to said iirst prong, said lever being provided with an angular portion to form a manipulating member, and a terminal hook on the manipulating member for engaging the brace rod to hold the prongs in engagement with the end of the box.

2. A box lid holder comprising a brace rod, means carried by the upper end of the brace rod for engaging a lid, a laterally extending arm on the lower end of the brace rod having a returned portion providing a prong for engagement against one side of the box, a bearing eye provided on the brace rod at the lower end thereof, a clamping lever having a bearing portion fitted in the eye, an arm on the bearing portion extending laterally therefrom and oppositely from said first arm, the second arm having a returned portion providing a prong for engagement against the opposite face of said side of the box, an upstanding manipulating portion formed on the lever beyond the bearing portion, an arm on the manipulating portion directed toward the brace, and a hook provided on the terminal of said last named arm for engagement with the brace to maintain the prongs in engag'ement with the box.

3. A box lid holder comprising a brace rod having lid clamping means at one end, a longitudinally disposed bearing eye at the other end, formed by a plurality of coils arranged with the axis of the opening therethrough to one side of the brace rod, a laterally directed terminal arm adjacent the bearing eye andhaving its end returned and formed into a prong, and a clamping member mounted to rock in the bearing and having a laterally extending terminal arm arranged oppositely to the other arm, and having its end returned and formed into a prong, and a manipulating portion carried by the clamping member to rock the same and move said prongs inwardly toward each other and means for locking the manipulating` portion in closed position on the brace rod.

4L. A box lid holder comprising a brace rod, lid clamping means on the upper end of said rod, a bearing eye on the lower end of said rod adapted to rest above the upper edge of the end wall of a box, a lever having a bearing portion passing through the eye, said rod and said lever having arms on their lower ends which extend laterally therefrom in opposite directions, the outer extremities of said arms being pointed and returned downwardly and toward each other to provide prongs for engagement against the opposite faces of said end Wall of the box, a manipulating portion on the upper end of the lever by means of which the same is adapted to be swung toward and from the brace rod and to move said prongs toward and from each other, and a hookarm on the manipulating portion for engagement with the brace rod to lock the lever in closed position.

5. A box lid holder comprising a brace member engaging a box lid at its upper end, a lever member, a bearing eye on one of said members adapted to pivot'ally receive the other member therein, box engaging portions on the lower ends of said members beyond the bearing eye and adapted to be swung toward and from each other by the pivotal movement of said members relative to one another, and means for locking the members from movement; when brought toward one another to secure the box engaging portions against the opposite sides of a box wall.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aliixed my signature in the presence oftwo Witnesses.

CLARENCE S. APPLAS.

Vitnesses:

WALTER T. APPLAs, GEO. J. BUCK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing' the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

